Mail-delivery apparatus



J. A. CHAMBERS.

MAIL DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1920.

1,405,097. Patented Jan. 31,1922. J 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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J. A. CHAMBERS. MAILYDELIVERY APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1920.

1 ,405997, Patented Jan. 31,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES AT QFFICB- JOHN, A. GI-IAMBERS, orNEWBUBG, mssotm.

MAIL-DELIVERY APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. CHAMBERS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at downwardly and rearwardly soas to offset the momentum due to the forwarc'bmova ment of the train,thus insuring the de-' posit of the sack at points where they willremain practically stationary.

Arf'urther object' is to-p'rovide a structure of this characterwhich canbe apphefl readily to a car, can'be' folded compactly so as'to be out ofthe way when notinuse, and which can be easily loaded and shifted tooperative position. With the foregoing and other objects in view, whichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention'resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described. and claimed, it being understood that, within thescope of what is claimed,

changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be madevwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In 'said drawings 7.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a port on of a car having the presentimprovements combined therewith, the mail delivery apparatus being shownfolded out of the ways Figure 2 is a similar view showing the deliveryapparatus shifted to operative position, the said-apparatus being insection and the trip in the path thereof being shown in elevation.

Figure '3 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing the apparatus in theact of being tripped for delivering mail.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the delivery apparatus showing theparts in the positions illustrated in Figure 2, the sectlon on whichFigure 2 is taken being indicated by the line 2-2 in this figure.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

the level of said opening are cars 1 carrying a pivot rod 2 on which aremounted ears 3 extending from one'end of a frame 4. This frame includesa top bar 5 anda bottom bar 6. A supplemental'frame 7 is arranged withinthe frame 4 and-is hingedly "con nected thereto by a cross rod 8.A'tiltabl'e platform 9 is hingedly mounted within the. upperportion ofthe supplemental 'frame and has afiange 10 at one-end. This platformrisadapted normally to lie {vertically between the sides of thesupplemental frame 7 which, in turn, in supported normally in a verticalposition between the sides o-f'the main framel; Thus it will be seenthat all parts of thestructurelcan be folded com pactly against the sideof the car A and across the lower portion of the door opening B as shownin Figure 1. A guide rod 11 is secured to one face of the frame 7 and isslidably engaged by'a loop 12 formed'at one-end of a' crooked crank arm.13. This Ecrank armextends" through. the main frame 4 between the ibar 6and the lower end of the supplemental frame Tand is carried by one end"of a rod 14L journaled on one face' Of 'the'bar 6.1A clepenclingcrankarm 15 extends frointh-is rod and, when the. parts of" the-apparatus arefolded this crank'arm 15-extends down Wardly below the main frame lasshown in Figures 1, 2 and 4:. j

At those points along the track where mail is to be discharged anupwardly extending bowed tripping rail 16 is located where it will becontacted by the crank arm 15 during the passage of the car with thedelivering apparatus set-in operative position.

An angular" holding bracket or tongue 17 is connected to the bottom ofthe platform 9. When it is desired to use the apparatus the platform 9,while in the position shown in Figure 1 is swung downwardly to ahorizontal position so as to rest on the top bar 5 and is thendrawninwardly toward the door opening so as to cause the bracket 17 toengage the bar 5 and fasten the platform in horizontal position. Thesacks of mail to be delivered are then piled on the platform after whichthe entire structure is swung outwardly and rearwardly to bring IPatented Jana 31, 19212. Application fi'led flctober 7, 1920. Serial1110.415294.

This outward movement-can be limited by a stop 18 secured to the'side ofthe car and in the path of the frame 4:. With the parts thus located thecrank arm 15 will, during the forward movement of the car, come againstand ride over the tripping rail'le. This will cause the rod 14 to rotateand actuate the crooked crank arm 13 which will thrust rearwardlyagainst the supplemental frame 7 at a point below its pivot rod 8 andcause theIu-pper end of said frame to swing rearwardly away from the bar5. This will obviously, movethe bracket 17 out of engagement with thebar 5 and the platform 9', being thus released, will be overbalanced bythe load thereon and causedto tilt and allow the sacks toslide therefromand onto the ground. The abrupt rearward swinging movement imparted tothe'frame 7 by the actuation of thecrank arm 15 will tend to toss thesacks rearwardly so as to offset the momentum due to the forwardmovement of the car. Consequently the sacks will remain practicallystationary='when deposited on the ground. 1 i

What is claimed .is:-- T a 1.-In mail delivery apparatus the combinationwith a car having a door opening, of 'a main frame mounted to swingoutwardly and rearwardly relative to the opening to position thejfr'ameat right angles to the side of the car, atiltable platform, a connectionbetweeni'the platform and main frame, said platform? connection andframe being foldable togetherfor compact storage against the side of the*car, cooperating means upon the platform and frame for holding saidplatformin load supporting position, va tripping element, and meanscarried by the frame and actuate'dby said element for automaticallyreleasing the platform and imparting an abrupt rearward and downwardmovement thereto relative to the car.

2. The combination with a car and a tripping element adjacent the paththereof, of a structure mounted to swing laterally rearwardly relativeto the car, to position the structure at right angles to the side of thecar, said structure; being movable with the car, a tiltable platformmovable with said structure, a connection between the platform andstructure, cooperating means upon the platform and structure for holdingthe platform against tilting movement and in load supporting position,and means carried by said structure for engagement with the trippingelement to impart an abrupt rearward and downward movement to theplatform relative to said structure.

3. In mail delivery apparatus the combination with a car and a trippingelement adjacent the path thereof, of a structure hingedly connected tothe car and mounted to swing laterally rearwardly relative there to toposition the structure at right angles to the side of the car, asupplemental frame hingedly mounted in said structure, a tiltableplatform carried by the supplemental frame, cooperating means upon theplatform and structure for holding the platform in load supportingposition, an arm depending from the structure for actuation by thetripping element, and means operated by said arm for shifting thesupplemental frame and successively releasing the platform and impartingan abrupt rearward and downward swinging movement thereto.

In testimony that. I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN A. CHAMBERS.

Witnesses: I

JOHN C. WILLiAMS Jr., W. E. iDUNCAN,

